Elites are the real decision makers

It blocks all attempts at autocracy

The nature of modern politics, which drowns out the voices of individuals to favor the elite, has ensured that American democracy is merely a fantasy from times long gone, argues Yascha Mounk of The Atlantic. The way that laws are passed, under heavy lobbying by the rich, ensures that legislation doesn’t go against their interests. Congressmen are reared to follow their donors, spending so much time around them they even end up thinking like them. President Trump was elected mostly because of Americans’ feeling of powerlessness, but he has passed laws and tax reform that benefit the elite’s, cementing its position at the top.

America’s democracy has shown its resilience in blocking President Trump’s authoritarian actions, infers Zack Beauchamp of Vox. Compared to real authoritarian regimes, which appointed their cronies to the government, Trump hasn’t be able to do this. When he attempted to, the Senate rejected his judicial nominee, Brent Talley. He asked the FBI to be loyal to him and got nothing but a continued investigation. The Muslim ban and a restrictive voter registration law are other examples of him trying and failing to impose his will. Even Republican states outrightly rejected the latter of the two, showing the system’s success beyond partisan lines.